MACHINES AND

TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
 OVERVIEW

The Partner of the

Automotive Industry

Individual solutions: KIEFEL is one of Maximum quality: In addition to the

the international market leaders
wherever the processing of plastics for
the automotive industry is concerned.
Working in close cooperation with
customers, we design and provide
complete solutions for the production of
interior trim components.
Outstanding knowhow: Our strength
lies in our complete understanding of
the processing technologies involved.
Our engineering capabilities and our
experience as producers of industrial
machines based on a history spanning
more than 50 years.
development of fundamental principles
for plastic processing technology, our
research labs work with the customer
– starting at the prototype phase – to
develop manufacturing techniques. While
prototype components are produced for
pre-production vehicles, this knowledge
is then transfered using KIEFEL machines
and tools for production – delivering
components that meet the highest
quality specifications of automotive
manufacturers, with the very best in
functionality, aesthetic appeal and texture.

2
 HF Welding

Edge-folding

Riveting with
ASC technology
and ultrasonic

Pre-forming for
backinjection

Laminating of
textiles/leather

KIEFEL Machines and Tools

Laminating of
film material
Vacuum laminating

Vacuum forming

In-Mould-Graining IMG and IMG L

Press-laminating

Edge-folding

Riveting, ASC-technology and Ultrasonic

High-frequency welding

Slush moulding

Specialities

3
 KIEFEL - From Design to
Series Production

In order to fulfill the demanding Thermoformsimulation T‘-SIM

requirements of the automotive industry
T’–SIM is one module in the entire process
KIEFEL always needs to be looking to the
of the machine and tool machinery
future. All processes require the need to be
development for interior parts.
absolutely reliable and fully tested. Starting
KIEFEL is one of the pioneering companies
with consulting during the phase of early
using this technology. KIEFEL developed
production design, process development
the first T’-SIM analysis in 1998 and since
and prototyping, KIEFEL is a full-service-
2005 KIEFEL has provided numerous
supplier for the processing of film and textile
T’-SIM analysis’ of automotive interiors
materials.
parts. But the result of the T’-SIM analysis
is only as good as the experience and the
KIEFEL‘s Technical Lab Center:
process knowledge of the engineer.
For all processes KIEFEL has a wide range
of lab-machines. Combined with the know-
how and long term experience of KIEFEL’s
engineers all processes can be approved in
our technical center.
4
Your benefits:

Feasibility analysis and risk assessment

during the design phase of the interior part

Fast and cost effective comparison of

various thermoforming concepts and
selection of the best and cost efficient
variant or technology

Cost effective process for optimization for

prototype and series tools

Matching and optimization of the clearance

of bordering parts in a early project status

5
 VACUUM FORMING
Vacuum Thermoforming
Machines
KIEFEL, one of the pioneers in the
thermoforming machinery industry started
to produce thermoforming machines in the
early sixties.
Based on this long term experience all
KIEFEL thermoforming machines have the
latest technical development.
Strong machine design, high precision
and long production viability.
6
Using the latest generation of high dynamic
servo drives combined with individually
adjustable quartz-heaters and energy
efficient centrifugal cooling blowers a
high rate of energy-efficiency of KIEFEL
thermoforming machines is assured.
KIEFEL takes its responsibility to minimize
the CO²-emission and to lower the total
power consumption for ecological part
production over the entire lifetime of the
machine.
Single Station
Thermoforming
Machines
KL-Series

Field of applications
Vacuum forming for laminating of interior
parts with low production volume
(cycle time 100-120 sec.):

- Door main carrier, door upper,

map pockets, armrests
- Center consoles
- Instrument panels

Available machine configurations

- Usage of film sheets
- Usage of film roll material
- Double upper table

Machine options
- Hot-melt package
- In-Mould-Graining (IMG) package
- Film unwinding system with manual film
inlet and cross-cutting attachment
- Table-in-table-function for top table
- Additional top table for contour punching
- Additional pyrometers

7
 Inline Vacuum Thermoforming Machines
KLS-Series

Field of applications Machine options

Vacuum laminating or forming of interior - Infrared pre-heating of substrates

parts with high production volume (cycle - Hot-melt package
time 40-60 sec.) like: - In-Mould-Graining (IMG) package
- Package for the processing of
- Door main carrier, door upper, map 2-coloured film
pockets, armrests - Split chain rail system, reduced film
- Center consoles consumption (patent KIEFEL)
- Instrument panels - TEPEO2-package
- Film storage unit for continuous
Available machine configurations production during tool change
- Automatic part-handling
- 4-up rotary upper table
(loading and unloading)
- 2-up rotary lower table with closed and
- Software-package for minimized film
sealed pre blow box
feeder in case of film fault (reduction of
- Single upper table
film consumption)
- Single lower table

8
KLV-Series

Field of applications Machine options

Vacuum laminating or forming machine, - Usage of film sheet material

especially for Instrument panels with high - Hot-melt package
production volume (cycle time 60-80 sec.); - In-Mould-Graining package
double cavity tool is possible. - TEPEO2-package
- Software-package for minimized film
Available machine configurations feeder in case of film fault (reduction of
film consumption)
- Tilting lower table for ergonomic loading
and unloading of parts
- Single upper table
- Double upper table

9
 PRESS-LAMINATING

Press-Laminating Technology
KEK-Series

For press laminating of textile, carpets,
artificial leather, and real leather KIEFEL
offers a huge range of press laminating
machines to meet the individual customer
requirements and cycle time.
By using a combined tool, the press-
laminating process can be combined with
edge-folding technology.

Depending on the selected glue system also

a robot system for glue application can be
integrated.

Product line: Machine options:

- Single station press laminating machines - Groove laminating technology

- Flex-base press laminating machines
- Glue application, e.g. PUR Hot-melt by
- Rotary press laminating machines
a robot system

- Combination with edge-folding process

Field of applications:

- Door inserts, armrests, map pocket

- A, B, C, D – pillars
- Instrument panels

11
 EDGE FOLDING

Edge Folding Technology

KU-Series

Subsequent to the laminating-, back-injec- In combination with the individual control

ted- or back-pressing-process the interior
parts need to be edge-folded in certain are-
as. Based on the required production cycle
time, KIEFEL offers a wide range and highly
developed edge-folding technology through
the use of standardized edge-folding units in
different sizes.
Product line:
system by BUS-System with AS-I (Actor
Sensor Interface) –Technology, the motion
sequence of the individual edge-folding
sliders is adjustable.
Using this technology offers the opportunity
for high quality edge-folding results in sharp
corners of the part.

Single station edge-folding machines

Single station Multi Master edge-folding

machines

Inline edge-folding machines

12
Product Lines in Detail

Single-station machines

Applications Machine options

Edge-folding of interior parts with low to
Empty nest concept
middle production volumes (cycle time
With the so-called empty nest concept
50-70 sec.).
the handling-time of the operator and the
total machine cycle-time is minimized.
Multi Master machines
Movable tool areas
KIEFEL’s Multi Master edge-folding machine By using movable areas different model
concept allows changing of various edge- versions can be edge-folded in the same
folding tools according to the production tool set, e.g. rear door with and without
volumes of the previous process, e.g. sunblind.
vacuum laminating.
Inline machines
The edge-folding tool itself will be installed
on a tool change-cart. This cart will also
Applications
be used as the storage system, when the
Edge-folding of interior parts with high
edge-folding tool is not in production.
production volume (cycle time 40-50 sec.).
Automatic docking of pneumatic
connections and manual docking of the
In addition, this machine concept allows for
cooling water and electricity supply allows
a separate loading station with the possibility
for a short tool change time.
to make repeatable pre-cuts and triangle
cuts of the film in sharp corners as well as
implementation of cutting devices, e.g. for a
puddle-light or a door close mechanism.

13
ASC (Air-Supported-Contact) riveting, Machine options:
a process developed and patented by
Single or 2-tier level sliding table
KIEFEL, combines all the advantages of
Automatic unloading to the rear side
the riveting processes for thermoplastic
Integration of US-welding technology
materials that have existed to date.
Applications:
Product line:
- Door panels
- Single station machines in different sizes
- Instrument panels
- Rotary machines
- Pillar liners
- Inline machines
- Centre consoles
Materials: - bumpers

- PP, ABS, PC/ABS, PA HCPP

 ASC-RIVETING

ASC-Riveting Process
KIEFEL patented process and design since 2004
KEN-Series

Advantages of the KIEFEL ASC-Technology

Short system start up time, - High tensile / pull strength

approx. 20 sec. - Reduced marking on the A-surface
- Individually adjustable riveting
Low power consumption
temperatures to adjust for different
(only approx. 1,6 W per riveting pin)
materials
- Heating only the riveting unit
- Sensors to monitor and control
- Cooling by high efficiency radial blowers
temperature range prior, during and after
- Movement of the shuttle table by
the riveting
servo motor technology
Easy to maintain replacement features
High quality level of the riveted pins
- Integrated clamping mechanism per
staking point

15
 WELDING TECHNOLOGY

High-Frequency Welding Technology

High-frequency welding is one of the original corresponding machinery engineering, has

technologies used by KIEFEL. undergone continuous further development
This technology, together with the and improvement over recent decades.

16
Available machine configurations: - Map pockets (HF lamination)
- Reinforced-section welding on
- Single station machines
floor carpets
- Sliding and double sliding machines
- Sun visors
- Turn table machine
- Sound-insulating mats
- Special applications
Applications:

- Door and side-trim elements (two-one)

- Individual parts of an instrument panel
(two-one)
- Textile insert (HF lamination)

17
Tool Technology

As a partner of the automotive industry our KIEFEL tool technology:

mission is to deliver the whole value chain
- Vacuum-Laminating tools
for production of high quality interior parts.
- Vacuum-Forming tools
- In-Mould-Graining tools (IMG and IMGL)
One main milestone is beside the machine
- Press-laminating tools
manufacturing itself to deliver also all the
- Edge-folding tools
corresponding tool sets.
- HF-welding tools
- Textile insert (HF lamination)
The experience of KIEFEL design and
process engineers is based on multitude
number of project over decades.

This allows KIEFEL in any cases an optimal

and economical design of the tool sets.
KIEFEL GmbH
Sudetenstraße 3
83395 Freilassing
Germany

PO Box 3125
83397 Freilassing
Germany

T +49 8654 78 - 0
F +49 8654 78 - 490
kiefel@kiefel.de
www.kiefel.com

KIEFEL is a world leader when it comes to the design and manufacture of machines used to process plastic film materials. The company
offers core expertise in the fields of forming and joining technologies. As a supplier to reputable manufacturers in various sectors, KIEFEL
GmbH services customers in the automotive, medical technology, refrigerator and packaging industries. The headquarters of KIEFEL GmbH
is in Freilassing/Germany. The company also runs its own network of sales and service centres in the United States, France, the Netherlands,
Russia, China, Brazil, Indonesia and India, and is represented by sales partners in more than 60 countries worldwide. KIEFEL GmbH is a
member of the German Brückner Group, a worldwide leading supplier of plastics machinery.

Printed in Germany. Subject to technical modifications. 09/13 P EN2020